The present object refers to a profile bar for the attachment of flat objects, more particularly cladding panels, comprising a center profile and an adjacent lateral profile on each side thereof, the profiles being rigidly connected to each other and including two clamping channels between them and having clamping edges which are directed towards the inside of the clamping channels, the flat objects comprising side walls which are folded approximately perpendicularly and which are inserted in the clamping channels in an essentially straight manner and are maintained by the clamping edges.
A large number of fastening devices for the attachment of cladding panels are known, as well as a variety of fastening devices for the attachment of various casings and panellings to apparatus or similar constructions. Generally, such fastening devices are adapted to determined cladding panels or suitable for certain types of apparatus, while the fastening profiles are complicated in design and adapters are often needed for the attachment of objects.
A profile bar having two channels serving as a fastening device for panelling elements of a building is known from the document U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,522. This device is so designed that the clamping channels comprise clamping edges which face each other. The elements to be attached comprise side walls which are folded approximately perpendicularly and which are inserted in the clamping channels. The clamping edges thus fasten the elements, the elastic holding force being provided by a slight elastic deformation of the profile bar.
However, tolerance problems in the construction sector are too important, the elastic range of the profile bar is too small, and long-term material fatigue and alterations are too significant to allow a durable attachment in the described manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,119 describes a wall or panel connector. The panels therefor are provided with claw engaging means along two opposing edges which are engaged by being snapped into resilient claw ends. The panel connector has the shape of a profile bar comprising a center profile and two lateral profiles rigidly connected one to each other, forming two parallel, U-shaped channels.
The panel fastener device of U.S. Pat. No. 2,607,971 uses small attaching clips, U-shaped with inwardly extending teeth. The flat panel with bents side walls is inserted straightforward into the attaching clips and fixed by said teeth. The fastener device needs a lot of different, small pieces to fasten one panel sheet and therefore is expensive in practice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,393 describes a further device for assembling a panel. This device uses flat panel sheets with differently pre-formed edges. These edges securely join and fix the panels at walls of different constructions.